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His clients wanted the wow factor, and architect David Boyle delivered

exactly that. This house in Sydney’s Alexandria comprises a sequence of

sleek platforms over several split levels.

platform sequence

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GIVE US THE WOW FACTOR! So ran the brief to David Boyle forthis project. The clients’ rationale was that if they were to invest thetime and money on alterations and extensions to their home, theywanted to really see something for it. And they got it – the place elicitsthe looked-for “wow!” from even the most world-weary visitor . Therear extension of this house is a wonderful surprise and shows just howpowerfully design can transform a space. What appears as a flat sitewhen viewed from the front of the house actually conceals a dramaticheight variance as one moves through the house. David has devised asplit-level program – with dramatic exposed steel beams and glassbalustrades – to produce a series of distinctive yet inter -connectingspaces, each with its own material treatment .

For many years, the suburb of Alexandria in Sydney’s south has hada bad rub. It has been the home of industrial wastelands, poor qualityhousing and low-lying flood lands jammed in between the airport andthe city. However, the last decade has seen a Saab-led revolution withcanny gentrifiers moving in and buying up the cheaper housing stock.This particular house is located on a quiet residential street of old one-and two-storey dwellings in varying stages of renovation, demolitionand completed polite urban infill.

David’s clients – and their pet rabbits – had moved from a flat inGlebe in search of more space. Both clients had their agendas for thenew house – Ian wanted a wine cellar and Debbie wanted a hutch forher rabbits. And, of course, they both wanted that wow factor .

The sloping site, which falls from front to back and from side toside, presented the architect with the opportunity to use the n aturaltopography to determine the building’ s levels. The existing frontsection of the house has been retained, complete with original timberflooring, and now accommodates the three bedrooms. The mainbedroom on the eastern side of the house steps up to a new ensuite ina split level arrangement that allows sufficient height for the newkitchen underneath.

The ensuite sits in what David refers to as “the beacon”, a smalltower element with a pop-up roof that has high-level windows allaround to let light in while maintaining privacy. At night, with the lightson, it glows like a lantern. This structure is clad in compressed fibrecement panels with a clear paint finish, a treatment which continuesdown to the dining space below . The main bathroom and separatetoilet are concealed behind pivot doors cleverly embedded in a sharedframe. In the wet areas the architect has used a layering of differentcolours to create a series of planar differences.

From the original front rooms, stairs lead down to a new living spacethat forms an intermediate level. Here, the room dimensions expand

to the full width of the house before leading out to a timber deck andstairs that connect with the study at the rear of the site. A blue featurewall with recessed shelf and in-built concealed lighting provides a focalpoint in the living room.

Stepping down from the living room, one arrives at the lower levelkitchen and dining space. These spaces are arranged on an exposedconcrete slab that flows out to the rear courtyard via a large slidingtimber-framed door. A sliding timber window forms a kitchen serveryto the outdoor dining area. The kitchen ceiling rakes up to the north tomaximise light gain.

From the courtyard the view back to the house shows a variety ofroof forms, each expressing the spaces that they enclose below . Thereare slot windows in the roof that allow light to permeate down into themiddle of the house. A large canopy extends across in front of all theroof forms and visually ties them all together , while also working as asun shading device to the spaces beyond.

The whole rear of the site is organised in a loose horseshoe plan withthe opening facing north. This enables the maximum amount of sunexposure to the internal courtyard while remaining fully private. Thestudio at the rear works as a visual barrier in blocking the view fromthe adjacent block of flats to the internal courtyard. The studio hasbeen built as a curvaceous timber pod – and with its organic shape andblack-stained textured timber finish it recalls the work of Finnisharchitect Alvar Aalto. It was the architect’ s intention to treat this as atactile experience, with green vines growing all over it. When viewedfrom the rear lane the black box works in contrast, hovering above thewhite painted fibre cement panels that form the sliding garage door .

Having occupied the house for a full summer , the owners haverealised they don’t need airconditioning – thanks to the building’s goodpassive solar design and cross ventilation (particularly the small timbershutters on the side walls that open up and let the house breathe).

For David, the initial brief is always the crucial stage of a project. Heinstigates an intensive early briefing, then comes back with anotherbriefing with stimulus images to make sure he really understands hisclients’ needs. In this case, Debbie is delighted with the rabbit hutchthat’s below the deck and opens out to the courtyard. A highlight forIan is the wine cellar under the house. He was so keen on it that heeven got in under the house himself to measure and locate the existingpiers. Ian now loves the house so much that he has started workingfrom home. But the clients aren’t the only ones who are impressed – theproject has been shortlisted in the New South W ales Royal AustralianInstitute of Architects awards program and is to be visited by the jury .Will they say “wow”? Fingers crossed! BEN GILES

PREVIOUS PAGES: This rearview clearly shows thesequence of split levels,culminating in the courtyard.THESE PAGES, ABOVE: Thestudio has been configuredas a curvaceous timber pod,with a solid wall to give thecold shoulder to nearbyflats. BELOW, LEFT: Spot thebunny! Under the deckthere’s a hutch for theclient’s pet rabbits. RIGHT:The rear elevation, showingthe garage under the studio.

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THESE PAGES: The kitchen isa sleek combination of white

Corian, stainless steel andconcrete, with splashes of

brightly painted mediumdensity fibre board. OPPOSITE:Looking from the dining space

down to the kitchen.

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ARCHITECTDavid Boyle Architect17 Como ParadePretty Beach NSW 2257Tel: 0419 664 836Email:davidboylearch@bigpond.com

PRACTICE PROFILESmall practice specialising inresidential design.

PROJECT TEAMDavid Boyle

BUILDERJason Boyle Constructions

CONSULTANTSEngineer Patterson Brittonand PartnersLandscaping Earlwood GardenCentre and Black CockatooDesignsInteriors David Boyle Architect

PRODUCTSRoofing BlueScope SteelColorbond; Rockwool InsulationExternal walls Ultrapanel fcsheeting; clear finish; pine boardsand battens Internal walls CSRGyprock plasterboard; Vitrapanelclear finished fc sheeting; paintedmdfb panels Windows anddoors Western red cedar frames,oil finish Flooring Hyspanlaminated timber framework;blackbutt; white concrete withpenetrative sealer Lighting Lvdownlights; standard batten fixingconcealed in lighting recesses;custom-built white acrylic coverto kitchen fluorescent KitchenIlve oven and rangehood;Leibherr integrated fridge; Grohemixer; Hansa taps; joinery –timber veneer and 2 packpolyurethane; stainless steelbenchtop with integrated sink;Corian benchtop BathroomBette ‘Starlet’ bath; rogersellertaps; Cerastone Gallery tiles;Corian benchtop Externalelements White concrete withpenetrative sealer; white pebblesOther Water tank concealedunder living room deck

TIME SCHEDULEDesign, documentation6 monthsConstruction 10 months

PHOTOGRAPHY Murray Fredericks

LAUNDRY

LAUNDRY

STORAGE

1 Entry2 Bedroom3 Robe/ensuite4 Void5 Deck6 Studio7 Living

8 Dining9 Kitchen10 Cellar11 Courtyard12 Store13 Car

Upper ground floor

Lower ground floor

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Section

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